High School Construction Continues Around Classes

September 18, 1998|By Dave Barnes. Special to the Tribune.

WOODSTOCK — It might look like a confusing jumble of mud, men and machinery on the outside. But inside the hallowed halls of Woodstock High, things are remarkably calm and best described as business as usual.

"The students have adapted remarkably well" to the ongoing construction, said Assistant Principal Bruce Lane during a recent tour of the work in progress. "The first week of classes (the students) were taken aback by how different everything looked. But by last week the general response was `no big deal' "

Now, four months into the 3-year project, the expansion and renovation of Woodstock High School is running a little ahead of schedule, according to Jon Gurney, project manager for Heery Construction.

"This is a $22 million construction project," Gurney said. "We have close to $3 million in place right now, which is pretty good for four months."

Although work is proceeding everywhere outside the building, the primary focus is on the new three-story science wing being added to the north side.

"It's our No. 1 priority," Gurney said. "They need the classroom space. If everything goes according to plan, it will be ready for classes in the fall of next year."

With approximately 9,000 square feet per floor, the science wing will add 15 classrooms, Gurney said. Along with nine rooms that have been neutralized during construction, "we'll have 24 rooms in service here by this time next year," he added.

Ultimately, those new rooms will be joined by a new gymnasium at the south end of the building, a new power plant, heating system and state-of-the-art life-safety systems, including sprinklers in the entire building.

While the cement trucks and heavy machinery growl outside, the scene inside is as quiet and orderly as can be expected in any high school.

"The students have been great in adapting to the density in the corridors," Lane said.

With space tight in the building, classes and some administrative work has overflowed into seven mobile classrooms.

Most, if not all, mobile units will be removed when construction is complete, Lane said.

For now, the work proceeds around, under and over the student body with 60 to 70 construction workers striving to meet deadlines.

For parents and other taxpayers, the school has planned a series of tours.

Three tours are scheduled for Wednesday--at 7 a.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.--and a fourth is set for Sept. 26 at 10:30 a.m. People should meet at the school's main entrance at least 10 minutes before the tour begins, Lane said.